That's funny - we bought a Coco Chanel purse in Rome two years ago. I ahd never heard the tourist could be fined for buying the stuff. We were near the Pantheon, and I do remember at one point where all of the sidewalk vendors grabbed their goods and ran down an alley, but they were back within five minutes.

I like the story about the driver taking the money, Henry. I hope they still made the ship. I have to admit, that sounds like a stupid thing I might do in a similar emergency situation (what else could you do - if you see someone with a car and you have money and need to get to the ship).

They did not make the ship before it sailed .The ship was on its way back to the US ,they had to go home another way after getting funds wired to them